ENGLAND'S one-day side will have a totally fresh look and, as new captain Michael Vaughan promised, it's a chance for every county player to push for international glory.

And Glen Chapple could be one of the leading candidates if he hits top form between now and England's NatWest Challenge against Pakistan, starting at Old Trafford on June 17.

"I don't think too much about England nowadays," admitted Chapple. "I've been around a long time. There has often been talk of me getting into the side and it has never happened. It makes you wonder why sometimes but I don't get too down about it.

"It's just when you look at all the people who have appeared for the one-day side in recent years and you think: `Surely I'm as good, if not better, than him, or him.' But I've never had the phone call, and now I put it to the back of my mind.

"Obviously I would love to play for England. Who wouldn't? And I rate myself among the top 16 or 17, which isn't boasting, it's just having confidence in your ability. I suppose if there is a new way of thinking in the selectors' room, I might have a chance. I'd like to think so.

"At the same time I know I've got to perform consistently, and to do better with the bat than last season when I was disappointed with myself. I didn't score nearly enough runs in the championship after being put up the order to six, and I was a bit up and down in the one-dayers."

Players have come and gone

Chapple, though, feels in good form with the ball. With so many gaps suddenly appearing after the break-up of England's old guard, he must be in the 'possibles' list, if nothing else. In the mid-1990s, after a highly successful spell with England A, he was rated as a certainty for Test cricket. Things didn't go according to plan.

Now and then his name was mentioned, but nothing more and he settled down to accumulating one-day honours with Lancashire, crowned by his man of the match performance at Lord's in 1996 when he destroyed Essex with 6-18 in the NatWest Trophy final.

Lesser players continued to appear on the England scene - and disappear more quickly. He is surely good enough to have tucked a few caps under his belt, but now can hardly bring himself to believe that, at 29, there might be a real opportunity.

"I don't know....I just hope that the selectors don't think I'm too old. I'm only 29 and I've got a lot of cricket left in me, but I made my Lancashire debut when I was 18 so I'm into my 12th season and there seems to be an emphasis on youth, particularly with Rod Marsh, the Academy Director, coming on board as a selector.

"But Vaughny is the captain and he's only six months younger than me."

England will be forced to ring the changes in June by the retirements from international one-day cricket of Nasser Hussain, Nick Knight, Andy Caddick, Craig White and Alec Stewart and the injury to Paul Collingwood, suffered at Old Trafford, which could keep him out for the whole season.

Most of the holes have been punched into the batting department, but Chapple could force his way into contention as a bowling all-rounder if he impresses in the next month.

"Years ago they talked about me as if I was the 'next best young thing' and I was always hoping I'd get in but I certainly don't lose any sleep over it nowadays. I've just got to concentrate on what I'm doing."